Ready for the Masters: Attending the first major of the year means taking it up a notch

Nearly all the pros at the Masters have their outfits completely scripted by apparel sponsors from Monday to Sunday. All the intense media attention and the fact of being held in early April make this golf’s “Easter Parade.”

Unlike other major team sports where many fans wear replica jerseys, golf patrons curate their own looks. Most attendees put real thought into their outfits, and parents make sure that the kids look terrific, too.

At last year’s Masters, I found a lot of people in the gallery whose great fits offer lessons for us all.

MEN IN PLAID

You never know who you might bump into. Here’s 1995 PGA Championship winner Steve Elkington and his son, Sam. Clearly, Sam has inherited his dad’s sharp sense of style. It takes confidence to wear patterns like these, but this image shows you don’t need bold colors to shine.

PREPARED PATRONS

These friends are ready to enjoy the beautiful day whatever may come. From the chilly first tee shot to the high noon sun to an afternoon shower, dressing in layers allows you to keep adjusting to stay comfortable.

LACES OUT

Look how proud this dad is to have his daughter alongside to share this special experience. Even if they weren’t directly next to each other for a moment—maybe she snuck to the rope line to get a better vantage of the next shot—you know they’re a duo from the unique and identical lace pattern on their footwear.

TRUE BLUE

Here are two boys who look like old pros! You just know they both have good golf swings and are thrilled to be here. These solid color quarter-zips with no logos demonstrate how dressing subtly more often enables your other features. In this case, it’s their smiles.

GREEN QUEEN

This is dressing with an extra dash. You can tell she’s outgoing, gets to the point and likes being around people who are equally poised and confident.

NICE SHADES ON

Cardigan sweaters are always a nice, understated way of putting an outfit together. We can tell he’s the conservative guy and she has a bit more flair. From their sunglasses and footwear, we know this couple has attended many Masters.

COMMANDING PRESENCE

This gentleman made a lot of right moves and looks ready for wherever the day goes. If anything, the white belt focuses too much attention to the waist. He’s tall but would’ve looked even taller had he blended the belt to the color of his fantastic trousers.

FOOTWEAR FIRST

You know right away this trio has been to the Masters before because they’re wearing sneakers. First-timers, especially men, often wear dressier shoes to impress and then regret it terribly after hours of hilly walking. This fellow looks great for many reasons but foremost is how his toned-down look says he’s not competing with his company.

MORE: The one piece of equipment you forget. The right shoes are more about substance than style

CLUB CLASSIC

Amazing how fresh green and yellow look on tops and bottoms! This group of friends fits together beautifully because each ensemble reflects the same tone. No one overdid it or really rolled the dice. They’ll be noticed for the right reasons.

A PERFECT PAIR

Here’s how you wear just the right amount of a signature color, which for the Masters, of course, is green! The horizontal stripes on the daughter’s dress and the vertical stripes on the mother’s skirt tell you they came together. Dressing as a pair means complementing each other yet remaining individuals.